


Contracting and Expanding

by rosymamacita



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Baby Fic, Bellarke, Childbirth, Established Relationship, Fluff, Future Fic, Gen, Lost in the Woods, Post-Canon, Pregnancy, semi graphic depiction of childbirth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-21
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-05-15 06:08:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5774371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosymamacita/pseuds/rosymamacita
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pregnant Clarke goes walking in the woods. When Bellamy finds her, she is already in labor, and it's coming on fast.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Clarke!” 

She was leaning against a tree trunk, her hands bracing her heavy body, head hanging, when she heard Bellamy’s panicked call.

“Clarke! Fuck!” he swore. “Where the fuck are you!”

Clarke wanted to call for him, but just at that minute, she was gritting her teeth against the pain. She was functionally unable to speak.

“Clarke! Baby, please,” his voice was desperate now. “Where are you?!”

The pain passed. Clarke panted. “Bellamy!” she called but she knew it was too soft to be heard. She screwed up her effort and freaking yelled. “BELLAMY! Over here!”

“Clarke!” Bellamy called back and she could hear the panic in his voice. She knew that he had heard the panic in hers.

“Bellamy! I’m here! Bellamy!”

She heard him crashing through the trees, getting closer to her.

“Keep calling, Princess, I’m coming.”

“Bellam—“ her call broke off into a scream. She had managed to keep her cries quiet until she knew he was there, so close, and now, she just wanted him. “BELLAMY!!”

And then he was there. He wrapped his arms around her, trying to help her in this thing that he couldn’t help her with.

“Is it…” she could hear his concern in his voice, even if she couldn’t actually open her eyes in that moment. “Is it time?”

Now he was here, she cut off the scream, gritting her teeth and just focused on the sensation of muscles contracting and expanding within her. She nodded.

Then she could breathe again. She panted. “Bellamy,” she let go of the tree and turned to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, so relieved. “Yes, I’m in labor.”

“Why did you leave Arkadia, Clarke? I came back with breakfast and you were gone. Everybody is freaking out.”

“I just felt the need to go for a walk. I just needed to get out. I couldn’t stand being in camp anymore. I just needed…”

“But why didn’t you wait for me?” he asked, his hands brushing back her sweaty hair. He kissed her forehead. “Are you crazy?”

“I think so, Bellamy. I felt crazy. I was jumping out of my skin. I thought it would be nice to sit in the pools by the stream and I just needed to go.”

“Oh, god, Clarke. No one could find you. How did you get out of Arkadia without anyone seeing you?”

“I don’t know, I’m big as a house.”

“I’m just glad I remembered you talking about wanting to go to the pools, did you not even get there?”

“I got there, but as soon as I did, I started having cramps, so I didn’t even get to enjoy them. I started back to camp as soon as I realized what was happening. I should have had time to get back. It’s only half an hour walk to camp.”

“Oh Clarke, why do you always have to be so independent? Dammit. Don’t you realize— Come on, we have to get you back to your mom.”

The contractions started again. Her focus drew inwards. Clarke shook her head. Her arms tightened around Bellamy and she groaned. “It’s too late.” She leaned into him and he planted his feet to support her.

“It’s okay, princess,” he murmured into her hair. “I’ve got you. I’ll carry you to Arkadia. It’s okay.”

Clarke just shook her head, her eyes closed tightly. “No. Bell.” She leaned her head against his chest. “Now. It’s coming,” she said, as the pain passed again.

“What?”

Clarke gulped in air. “Yeah. My contractions started when I got to the pools. Every minute. I went right to active labor. Fuck. It wasn’t supposed to be this quick. And now, I can feel it moving through the birth canal. We’re having a baby right now.”

He leaned back to look at her, his freckles dark against his pale face. “What?”

She nodded and let out a shaky breath. “Help me take my pants off.” Her hands went to the draw string of the loose pants she had taken to wearing since she got big.

“No.”

Clarke laughed. “This is really not something you get to fight me on.” He helped her step out of her pants and she leaned back on the tree that had supported her weight just a few minutes before, squatting down.

“Not like this, Clarke,” Bellamy said, still trying to fight it, but kneeling down on the moss and leaf litter to be at her side.

“Listen,” Clarke looked at him, his worried face. She knew this hadn’t been the plan, but she trusted him. “You’re going to deliver our baby. Take your jacket off. You’re going to have to wrap it in that when it is born to keep it warm. And here,” she reached up to pull out the thong she had wrapped around her braid. “This is to tie off the umbilical cord. You’ll cut it with your knife.”

“Clarke, no. I can’t.”

“The hell you can’t, Bellamy Blake, you can do anything. I’ll be here to tell you what to do, okay.”

“But what if something goes wrong? We need your mother. Jackson. Nyko. Even Lincoln!”

“No, Bell, there’s no time. You can do this. You were there for Octavia. This time at least you’re an adult and have a medical professional with you. When it happens this quick, there’s usually nothing wrong.”

“Usually? But what if something goes wrong?”

Clarke laughed. “If something goes wrong and I can’t tell you what to do next, I give you permission to pick me up and book for Arkadia.” And then her laugh cut off. Clarke grimaced. “Fuck, Bellamy, it’s coming.”

“Jesus!” Bellamy cried, but he moved between her legs, whipping off his jacket. “Clarke… I see the head,” his voice was horrified. Awe struck.

Clarke nodded, unable to speak as her body took over. She bore down and felt the baby’s head pass.

She panted as the contraction faded. 

“Check the neck,” she told him, reaching down herself. “The cord. Make sure…” she said.

The panic had gone from his face, he had his mission. He reached between her legs for the baby. “The neck is clear, Clarke.”

She sighed in relief. “Good. The head is out. The cord isn’t wrapped around the neck. That’s good. Good.” She said.

“It has dark hair, Clarke,” he said, his voice stunned. 

Clarke looked at him, at the wonder on his face. She loved him so much. They had won through so much heartache to get to this point. “Bellamy,” she said. His eyes met her, terrified and joyous at the same time. “We can do this, okay? Get ready with the jacket. The shoulders will be next. Oh—“ she broke off at the pain. Her muscles took over and contracted down.

The baby slid out and into Bellamy’s arms.

“Oh my god,” he said. “Clarke,” he choked. “She’s here.”

Clarke opened her eyes and saw Bellamy, holding their child in his arms, his face glowing.

“Is she breathing? Is she okay?” Clarke asked, suddenly afraid. “Let me see her.”

His eyebrows drew together, frightened and he opened the jacket that he’d wrapped around her. She startled at the suddenly cold air and let out a mewling cry.

Clarke laughed in relief. “Yes,” she said. “Yes. Bellamy, you’re a father. We did it.” She knew it wasn’t all over yet, but still she felt herself relax. She slid down the tree trunk, reclining as much as she could. She was tired. “Okay, now you need to cut the cord. Take the knife— damn I wish we had time for a fire or at least had some of Monty’s moonshine to sterilize it—“

“I have moonshine,” Bellamy looked up from where he was staring at the baby’s face, blinking at her as if coming out of a trance. “I carry it in my pack as part of a first aid kit.”

Clarke nodded in relief. “Give her to me, I’ll hold her while you do that.” Bellamy placed the baby on Clarke’s chest. She checked her over, evaluating her breathing and skin color, pressing her ear to her tiny chest to listen to her strong heart, making sure to the extent of her abilities out here in the woods, that her daughter would make it. Despite the rush of her birth, the baby was healthy. Clarke opened up her shirt and pushed her bra aside, holding the baby to her breast. The baby nuzzled seeking the nipple.

“Now what?” Bellamy held up the knife, dripping with moonshine. She tore her eyes away from the baby. Bellamy was watching them, his eyes wet with emotion. She smiled at him, suddenly tearing up herself. She nodded and swallowed.

“Tie the thong around the cord, above and below where you are going to cut.” He followed her instruction. “I still have to deliver the placenta,” she told him and he looked at her in dismay.

“Here? We need to get back. You need to see Abby and so does the baby.”

“You’re right,” Clarke said, sighing, getting herself ready for more effort, even though she was so tired. “Grab my pants and help me up, we can probably make it back if we walk slow and stop for the afterbirth contractions.”

“You think you’re going to walk?” Bellamy scoffed. He started muttering under his breath. All Clarke caught was “fucking independent”. 

“How else are we going to get back to camp, Bellamy?”

“I’m going to fucking carry my wife, that’s how. Are you going to fucking fight me over it?”

“Bellamy,” she said and reached out to place a hand on his arm. He glared at her, his concern turning into anger. “Bellamy,” this time her voice was softer. “Okay,” she said. The fight drained out of him. “It’s okay. We’re okay. Take us home.”

Bellamy leaned down to her and kissed her lips, gently. “I was so scared, Clarke. You were gone and then—“ he gestured at her. “But here you are, and here she is. You did it. I don’t know how. You are my hero, Clarke.”

A tear rolled down her cheek. His words meant more to her than any praise she’d ever been given, on earth or in space. She swallowed. “I could do it because you found me.”

He wiped the tear off with his thumb. “Liar. You would have done it all by yourself, here in the woods, and you would have walked back to camp with a baby in your arm and told everyone to get back to work and stop gawking.”

She laughed and rested her forehead against his. “You’re right. I probably would have, but Bellamy, I would have been so scared. I’m so glad you found me even though I was stupid and went walking by myself.” She clutched his shirt and pulled him into her. “I’m so glad you found me. I’m so glad you were here and we could do this together.”

“I love you more than anything, but I’m furious at you for wandering off alone without telling anyone. It was so stupid.”

She nodded, because it was. It was like she had lost leave of her senses. She wondered if she could blame it on hormones or pre labor or exhaustion or something. “I love you, Bellamy.” She kissed him again. “Now help me put my pants on. You’re not carrying me to Arkadia with a bare ass. We should be able to get back in twenty minutes. Hopefully that will be enough time.”

He helped her with her pants and lifted her in his arms, their daughter nestled against her chest. “I’ll do it in fifteen,” he said.

She laughed and rested her head against his shoulder. “Be careful, Bellamy, we have a baby.”

“Oh, I’ll be careful,” he said, his face full of love.

In the end, they made it in twelve minutes.


	2. Keep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bellamy gets back to Arkadia with his wife and new daughter in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys asked for a follow up, so I wrote it. It's pretty short, but it wraps up the story.  
> I've actually had this in my files for a few weeks. I thought I'd posted it, but the latest comment made me realize I hadn't. So... HERE. This is for you!

Bellamy was too busy watching his footing with his wife and newborn daughter in his arms. Clarke was too busy watching their baby, who had settled into her arms, eyes tightly closed. Bellamy might have been a little in shock, although he’d known a baby was coming, of course, the reality, the suddenness, was all quite stunning. The watchtower was the first to see them.

“They’re here!” Harper cried loudly from the tower. A second passed, then, “Abby! Abby! Get Abby!”

By the time Clarke and Bellamy got to the gates, they were wide open and a crowd had gathered. 

“Let me through! Let me through,” Abby shoved her way through the crowd with her medical kit in hand. “You found her!” she breathed, relieved, wasting no more time on Bellamy before turning to Clarke in his arms. She gasped.

“He found us, mom,” Clarke said, and pulled back the jacket to show her the baby in her arms.

A simultaneous gasp went through the crowd. Then they began cheering. “She had the baby!” the cry went up, spreading outwards.

Clarke grimaced.

“How long ago?” Abby said, levelly, as she pulled the jacket back further to examine the baby.

Clarke couldn’t answer, so Bellamy did. “Fifteen minutes.”

Abby finally looked up at Bellamy, and she sent him the purest smile, of pride. “You were with her.”

He nodded. “I found her.”

“I knew I could trust you,” she said, and then turned back to Clarke. “Afterbirth contractions?” she asked, and Clarke answered with a tight nod, her face still twisted in pain. Abby nodded, and patted Clarke. “Okay, that’s good. We need to get her to medical.”

Guards pushed through the crowd with a stretcher. Bellamy sent them a glare. “I’ll get my wife to medical, thanks.”

Abby smiled at them, nodded, and they stepped back. “Is it okay if I hold my grand baby on the way?”

Bellamy couldn’t help but swallow. He nodded, a little too choked up to answer. Abby took the baby out of Clarke’s arms, who was breathing normally again. 

“Your granddaughter,” Clarke said. 

Abby’s face lit up. She smiled at the baby as she held her close. “A girl.”

They didn’t have to push through the crowd to get to medical. The crowd stood aside. Their friends and neighbors watching Bellamy carry Clarke, and Abby carry the baby through Arkadia, with tears in their eyes and smiles on their faces. A baby was a good thing. It was about hope and the future. And this baby was an especially good thing, after everything Clarke and Bellamy had done, had sacrificed, in order to get them all to this life.

Bellamy took a deep breath. 

“You did it, Bellamy. You got us home,” Clarke said, reaching a hand up to cup his cheek. He fought back the tears. She was safe. They were safe. 

“You did it,” Bellamy said, his voice thick with emotion.

“We did it together. Because that’s the way we work best.” She leaned her head on his chest, and he took her into medical.

“Wait,” she said, pulling at his shirt.

“What is it Clarke,” he was so overwhelmed he could barely speak. She gestured to the gathered crowd who had all followed them, and made him turn back around.

She raised one hand. “Get back to work and stop gawking. All of you.”

He gawked at her. 

“Go on, now, you all have work to do. I’m nothing special. You all can see me when I’m out of med bay. Shoo.”

And like that, the crowd broke, all of them smiling like the sun behind the clouds. Filtering off to whatever duty they had.

“I can’t believe you, Clarke. You’re such a—“

“Such a what, Bellamy?”

“A miracle.”

“I didn’t want to disappoint you and not boss everyone around when I came back from being a badass who delivered a baby in the woods with only my beautiful husband at my side.” Clarke smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. Then she pulled away, her nails digging sharply into his shoulders. Her face was set in a grimace.

“Med bay,” she spat out between grit teeth. “Damn this almost hurts worse than child birth.”

“I got you, Clarke. Med bay it is.” Bellamy took her where she needed to go, but by the time the moon was up, he was laying in his own bed with his radiant wife and his sleeping child, reveling in the happiness that he never thought he would find, let alone actually get to keep.

**Author's Note:**

> Clarke here has a super fast labor. This is not typical, especially for first births. But it does happen (btdt). Bad for birth plans. Good for dramatic short stories. 
> 
> If anyone wants any help writing about pregnancy, childbirth or babies, you can message me at http://rosymamacita.tumblr.com/


End file.
